Hi all,
We are happy to report that the WCRA is starting to get noticed. Membership numbers have remained flat over the past year given the networking challenges associated with public health measures – namely not gathering in groups. Despite the challenges we have experienced, WCRA members have found ways to connect with others as you will see in the updates below.
We are starting to see the benefit of our past efforts specifically when it comes to our interactions with elected officials. Councilor Filion’s office has been engaging with us for the past two years but we are now getting calls and invitations from the office of Stan Cho (provincial MP) and Ali Ehsassi (federal MP) in addition to other associations. Our core mandate is not political activism; however, we do want to ensure our voice is heard when it comes to matters that impact our community. We are currently seen as an involved, open-minded organization that is willing to engage in respectful debate. This has resulted in some recent “wins” for our community (see note on REimagin Yonge).
The WCRA continues its networking and community outreach efforts. Please see below information and updates on matters that impact our community.
WCRA Activity:
1. We held our Annual General Meeting (AGM) on December 3, 2020. It was our first virtual meeting and was generally well attended. We had the opportunity to hear from all our elected officials on matters that directly impact our community. A motion was put forward to amend our bi-laws in order to include a non-voting class membership. This aligns with our core mission of community outreach and engagement. The non-voting membership allows those individuals with no formal neighborhood association to join our group. Our hope is that we will attract engaged community members who can learn from our association and support our efforts. The ultimate goal is to ensure our entire ward is covered by associations and that we coordinate with these associations on matters that impact us.
2. As you are aware, we have limited our social gatherings and community events over the past year as we deal with the challenges of this pandemic. We have been exploring ways to connect virtually and have partnered with a few community organizations over the last months. In November the WCRA piloted a virtual art gallery featuring one of our members. It was well received and as a result we have engaged with a few regional artists in an effort to showcase local talent. This month we are featuring a Willowdale artist, Ann Katz. Please take a moment to view her collection on our website (https://www.willowdalecentral.org/new-cover-page).
Reimagine Yonge:
1. Our association was contacted by mayor Tory’s office in advance of the Reimagine Yonge vote in December. The mayor wanted to hear directly from community representatives on this important project. You may recall, we had an audience with the mayor’s office back in the fall of 2019. The message we carried was very straight-forward and based on the survey results collected back in 2019; While it is important to listen to special interest groups and residents, we expect political leadership on matters such as these. Listen to the public but act based on expert recommendations. Ultimately a good plan well executed is better then a great plan that never sees the light of day – community members are tired of the delays and work is long overdue.
Parks & Recreation Projects:
1. The councilor’s office has informed us that they have a multi-year parks development plan underway. As a result of feedback from the community, that includes several people from the WCRA, councilor Filion and city staff are looking to better engage with the residence to plan for park improvements. I will be co-chair on a newly formed Parks and Recreation Advisory board. Please reach out if you have any interest joining me on this initiative (email sboyleto@gmail.com).
2. The weather has been very cooperative this year for the volunteers that are supporting local outdoor skating rinks. We are fortunate to have a few of them around our neighbourhood. Glendora is the closet (just south of Sheppard, off Willowdale Ave). Another great rink is located at Parkview Park (Kingsdale and Estelle Ave). Masks are now required if you wish to skate. There are no city staff at these locations to monitor skaters, so it is our collective responsibility to follow public safety protocols. Use at your own risk and please be courteous with others.
We look forward to the time when we can gather again in person. Until then, keep well and reach out if you have any ideas on how we can support our community!
Warm Regards,
Stephen,
On behalf of the WCRA